Locked out? How to avoid a locksmith scam

Imagine your front door lock has been working improperly and you finally decide to get it repaired. You scan the phone book and find a locksmith that appears local.

The company gives you a reasonable estimate, but after completing the job, two technicians who arrived in an unmarked car present you with a bill for many times the quoted price and demand cash payment.

It may sound outrageous, but that's exactly what Laura Gold of West Newton, Mass., says happened to her.

Locksmith scams plague consumers nationwide

It's similar to scams that have befallen consumers across the nation, according to numerous lawsuits, news reports and warnings published by government agencies and trade associations.

Gold says she was duped by a company called Dependable Locks after deciding to hire a locksmith to fix a malfunctioning lock on the front door of her home. She called what appeared to be a local listing in her phone book and received a $150 estimate.

What Gold didn't know was she had been routed to the call center of Clearwater, Fla.-based Dependable, which is now the subject of a federal case as well as multiple complaints filed by state attorneys general.

Gold says she was shocked when the two technicians who made the call presented her with a bill for $580.

"They said, 'we need cash' and of course all these bells are going off in my head,'" she says, but she felt like she had no choice but to drive to an ATM with her teenage daughter and fork over the money.

Owners of Florida-based company arrested

In November 2009, two owners of Dependable were charged with allegedly using coercive and intimidating tactics to strong-arm customers into paying exorbitant fees for locksmith services from its network of technicians around the country.

Moshe Aharoni, 29, and David Peer, 32, were arrested after authorities raided their Clearwater call center.

The two were charged with mail and wire fraud, engaging in financial activities to promote unlawful activities and conspiracy to recruit and employ foreign nationals not authorized to work in the U.S., charges that each carry a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and fines up to $250,000. They are out on bail.

An affidavit supporting the complaint alleges Dependable managed a national network of more than 100 locksmith technicians and that many of them were non-immigrant Israeli citizens whose visas did not permit them to do this kind of work.

"This reaches throughout the United States," said Doug Smith with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at the time of the raid.

David Peer (Photo courtesy of Pinellas County (Fla.) Sheriff's Department)

The federal complaint alleges that customers calling for locksmith services were routed to the Florida center, where they'd receive a price quote and get a local technician dispatched. Responding locksmiths allegedly would charge a much higher rate and were instructed to use various tactics with customers who balked at the price.

"Technicians use techniques such as accusing the consumer who objects to the overcharge of 'theft of services,' threatening to call the police, withholding the customer's keys or driver's license or following the customer to an ATM machine to ensure payment," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Eastern Missouri, where the case is being prosecuted.

Representatives from the U.S. Postal Inspector's Service and the U.S. Attorney's Office declined to comment on the pending case. As of press time, no trial date had been set.

Attorneys general offices file suit against locksmith companies

This year, Dependable made the ranks of Angie's List's top 10 worst contractors of the year. Attorneys general in Arizona, Massachusetts and Missouri have filed suit against the company, and complaints filed in the last year against other locksmith companies in Colorado, North Carolina and Wisconsin suggest the problem is widespread and ongoing.

An Angie's List investigation of suits against Dependable, BBB and our own records uncovered more than 500 consumer complaints against the company or its aliases in at least a dozen cities.

Several other people besides Aharoni and Peer were named as part of the suits against the company. Dependable rates a D on Angie's List based on reports in seven cities, including one filed by member John Brogan.

John and his wife Patricia hired a locksmith they found on the Internet to fix a lever-style exterior door lock on their Minneapolis home. He says Patricia was immediately concerned about whether the locksmith knew what he was doing.

"He didn't seem to have the right tools, and he didn't seem to know what was going on," says Brogan, who joined Angie's List after the experience. "He gave my wife a totally skeevy vibe."

They were surprised to find the company printed on the $120 receipt was Dependable Locks of Florida. "We thought that was weird because we had called a local number," Brogan says. Three days later, the lock mechanism fell off and the couple had to replace it.

Legimiate locksmiths lament scammers' shoddy work

Mike Bronzell, an Oak Lawn, Ill.-based locksmith, says shoddy work is a trademark of scammers.

"They will book every job, whether they can handle it or not, and string people along with stories," says Bronzell, who runs a mobile service called All Hour Locksmith in the Chicago area and was once a subject of a lawsuit by Dependable for speaking out against the company's practices. Claims against Bronzell were later dismissed from the lawsuit.

"They're destroying our reputations and they're not even locksmiths," he adds. Messages left for Dependable's attorney were not returned.

Attorneys general with locksmith complaints pending declined to talk about their cases, but Colorado Attorney General John Suthers reached a settlement with a company called Basad Inc. in June 2009.

In January 2009, Suthers filed a lawsuit against the Englewood, Colo.-based Basad, alleging it misrepresented the price of their service charges, failed to honor their advertised "20-minute response time" and led customers to believe they had local offices when they only had one address.

The complaint says Basad registered 73 trade names and advertised in several states, though all calls were routed through a center in Englewood.

They also claimed to be licensed, though locksmiths were not required to be licensed in the states they operated in, according to the complaint.

Suthers reached a $100,000 settlement with Basad that will be used to reimburse consumers who filed complaints.

The settlement also requires the company to disclose during the initial sales call that there will be additional charges and record those calls for a year. Basad did not admit any liability as part of the settlement.

A person who answered Basad's phone declined to comment and a message was not returned.

Mike Saccone, a spokesman for Suthers, says the number of locksmith complaints his office receives has declined since the settlement was reached.

"We have the occasional, sporadic complaint, but not in the volume we had with Basad," Saccone says.

Homeowner says he was "robbed twice"

Complaints may be down in Colorado, but locksmiths and others who track the scams say the cases against Basad and Dependable are only the tip of the iceberg and consumers across the country are still encountering the same scams.

Firefighter David Rossi found a locksmith online to replace three locks when his Woodbridge, Va., home was burglarized. He says the dispatcher at Dale City Emergency Locksmith led him to believe the cost would be around $250, so he was shocked when he was presented with a bill for more than $1,000.

David Rossi says he felt like he'd been robbed twice after he was charged $1,000 to change three locks after a break-in. (Photo by Katherine Klegin)

"After looking into it, that's not a normal price for changing locks, even in the middle of the night in an emergency," Rossi says. "It felt like I'd been robbed twice."

Rossi says he found a restaurant at the address where he believed the locksmith was located and was given the runaround when he called and tried to file a complaint with Dale City Emergency Locksmith, whose number was routed to a company called USA Locksmith.

Representatives at USA Locksmith referred calls from Angie's List Magazine to a general manager who was not available by phone and provided an e-mail address that was not in service. Messages were not returned.

There are F reports on Angie's List for companies called USA Locksmith and USA Locksmiths in five states. The Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, which licenses locksmiths, has filed a complaint against USA Locksmith alleging they employ unlicensed technicians, use false addresses and overcharge consumers.

Misleading listings appear local

Many locksmiths interviewed for this story say Internet search engines and phone books are part of the problem because scammers create misleading listings that make it appear like they are local businesses.

"If you happen to pick the wrong name and the wrong number, you're in trouble," says Roland Malone, owner of highly rated Scottsdale Lock in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Malone says scammers have created online listings using the name of his 35-year-old business with a number for an out-of-state call center. His company has had to respond to dissatisfied customers who called that number, thinking it was him.

Malone says he wishes law enforcement and Internet search companies would crack down on these scammers. "They're mean, ugly and ruthless and will sell their mother for a nickel and want change," he says.

Elaine Filadelfo, a spokeswoman for Google, acknowledges that some bogus listings wind up in local search results, but she encourages users to report faulty listings.

Tim McMullen, the legislative manager of the national trade group Associated Locksmiths of America, says his organization also has been working with Internet search companies like Google and phone book firms to ensure scammers are weeded out and legitimate locksmiths are easier to identify.

Protecting yourself in case of a lockout

There are a lot of ways consumers can protect themselves from shady operators. Don't wait until an emergency arises to pick a locksmith.

"If you're stuck in a rainstorm in the parking lot of Walmart at three in the morning, you're going to Google or call 411," says Larry Friberg, a retired police officer who runs a website that tracks scams called Legallocksmiths.com. "You're going to get a scammer."

Joe Weiss of the A-rated Larry the Locksmith in Bronx, N.Y., recommends calling several local companies. "If they're all in the same price range, it's probably pretty accurate," says Weiss, who is a registered locksmith with New York City's Department of Consumer Affairs.

He says customers should expect to pay more if they need service in the middle of the night, but legitimate locksmiths will detail their costs up front. "If we go out and something is different from what we told them on the phone, we tell them the price before we do the work," he says.

Be leery of any locksmith who shows up in an unmarked vehicle, acts cagey when questioned about the company or immediately recommends drilling out a lock.

If you live in a state where locksmiths are required to be licensed, you should check their credentials with the appropriate agency.

McMullen of the locksmith's association says his organization has pushed lawmakers in states without licensure to introduce legislation that would more closely regulate the industry, such as a Florida bill introduced in March that would require locksmiths to be licensed by the state's Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

But McMullen says legislation and enforcement are only part of the way to stop scammers. "The real solution to the problem is consumer awareness," he says.

Emily Udell is a senior interactive editor at Angie's List. Emily has covered stories of consumer complaints on services like locksmiths, florists, air duct cleaning and roofers. She enjoys exploring a variety of topics, from pets to personal finance.

Comments

I am not against a locksmith being licensed. However, in Oregon we have to have the same license as a person who builds houses. There is little on the exams or continual education that is required that has to do with being a locksmith. Add to that the cost involved. Because of all of the state rules and what we locksmith are forced to go through, we have had to raise our charges. I have been a locksmith for over 35 years and an owner. But the cost of doing business in Oregon has run a lot of locksmiths either out of business or they have moved to other states. Again, I am for a license and the person should know what they are doing. But why does it cost a small business owner so much money, just to stay legal? By the way, for the record, there are still a lot of rip offs out there. Why should they care? When they are caught up with, they just move somewhere else and operate under a new name. The police should go after the ripoffs.

Ask for the locksmith's name.. Call another locksmith ask if they have heard of that company or person..we know our competition and qualification to be a locksmith with the skill required to provide service of value for you takes years. We know each other either by company name as our competition or thru associations. Not all are members of national or state but may only be local association members. Aloa claims to be good place to start however they only will refer those that pay to be members.. There is no evaluation Aloa can claim as accurate for skill only memorization of their test. But if other locksmiths know the locksmith in question its because they could compete it takes skull to do that.

I am a locksmith I think it is disgusting that there are some people claiming to be a Locksmith and some are genuine Locksmiths but how can they justify ripping people off. I charge next to nothing for a lockout, I know we have to make a living but charging extortionate rates put people like me out of a job.

I'm not one for lots of government and ever-growing piles of regulations, but just from a safety and security perspective -- all locksmiths should be certified.
If a locksmith changes the locks on your house and is unscrupulous -- they now have keys to your house.
To me that's an even bigger issue than the price -- though I'm glad to see this tip. I'll be sure to ask for a written estimate UP FRONT from now on with any new firm I deal with for home rerpairs.

Someone stated that locksmiths are required to be licensed in most states. Last time I checked only 14 states required licenses.
One other thing I wanted to point out has to do with the comments equating locksmiths in unmarked vehicles to scammers.
In our particular area of the country you will not find any locksmith or alarm technician with a marked vehicle. This is for their own safety, as many have been robbed. Every locksmith I know utilizes an unmarked pickup truck or van, usually white. And this applies to the small one-man operations all the way up to the largest locksmith company in our state. Just because the vehicle is unmarked doesn't mean they are scammers.

Another part of stopping the illegal and scam locksmiths is the phone books or internet advertising sellers. For them it seems to be all about the money and when they are questioned about why they allow bogus companies to advertise they almost always blame 3rd party resellers for the ads. Just my opinion but I think they just want the ad revenues. That needs to change.
In addition it seems that some states such as Illinois, doesn't have the money in the budget to aggressively go after the scammers.

You left out Oregon. Oregon passed a law in 2009 requiring all locksmiths to be certified by the Oregon CCB no later than July 1st of 2010. All locksmith companies in OR must have CCB licenses and individual locksmiths must have locksmith certificates. Consumers may contact the CCB to find out who is licensed or to make complaints. http://www.oregon.gov/CCB/

Another tip; If the locksmith you call asks for your zip code, hang up because you have reached a call center which will reroute you to a local so-called locksmith. If you call one of these people out and they demand excessive payment, refuse to pay. Even if they call police. They must stick to the quote given over the phone. If you don't get an accurate quote, again hang up.

Not true. I live in a metropolitian area and I ask for zip codes. This helps me (through years of experience) identify where they are located and if they are within my service area. This also lets me know if I can service there area with maybe a bit higher service charge to cover the trip costs. This is especially true when they call from a rural area outside the main city that can be 70 miles but still have the same city name.
My company would give a cost based on what you said on the phone. Best bet is to call multiple companies and compare for like rates. We tried very hard to make it as exact as we could but it wasn't always possible. If we differed in price it was generally because something not expected (malfuctioning lock) that had to be replaced. We made it a point to find out early and let out customers know what was the issue. We had no surprises and would still do whatever work they optioned. I had to deal with these call agencies myself as customers called us to fix what they messed up.

In response to Ms. Johannsen's comments. Consumer awareness is a very real solution to the problem. If the public is aware of the "scam" issue then one can guard against being taken advantage of. ALOA, the largest association of locksmiths is an excellent source in finding a legitimate locksmith you can trust.

Several ways to confirm you if the locksmith is real or a scammer are:
When you phone them ask them where they are located, if they will not tell you or want to know your address first most likely a scammer. Ask for business card. Look at their invoice before they do any work to see if it's got company info on it or it's just a cheap note pad type invoice. Pay by credit card you can get your money back from the credit card company if you are ripped off. If they show up in unmarked car or truck might be a scammer. Any questions call the Police, write down the license number of the car or truck. Ask for ID when the locksmith arrives, write down driver license number or State locksmith ID number. Get full cost estimate before they start working, get it in writing. You do not have to pay them anything if they do not have a state license. Eleven (11) states have licensing. If you do not feel comfortable or they threaten you call the Police. Most of the scammers do not have drivers licenses because they are illegal aliens. And the thought of the police will scare they away.

I would like to thank Emily for spending the time to do a QUALITY story regarding this huge scammer locksmith problem. It does alot to warn consumers about the locksmith impersonators that are operating all across this nation. It is also being perpetrated in Canada, England and other parts of the world.
I have been a locksmith for 20 years, I am a single father who was able to get by raising two kids and spending time with my kids also. Now it is almost impossible to compete for business against the lies, deceitful advertising that is being allowed to proliferate in yellow pages, internet search engines, 411 etc. Many Locksmiths are fighting this battle but need much help from the media and a whole lot more from Law enforcement. I am glad that MO and the postal Inspectors have spung into action. There is a whole lot more to do all across the nation.

We are very concerned about this epidemic, and as a locksmith business we are asking our customers to ask more detail over the phone before deciding on a company. An honest locksmith service will be knowledgeable and upfront with you.

Jeff's suggestion to contact BBB because they are consumer watchdogs is incorrect. BBB is a business advocate - read their mission statement. A company can have an A rating despite complaints as long as they provide a written response to complaints. The response does not have to be truthful and the company does not have to correct the problem. A company receives a B rating if they do not respond in writing. I know all of this from experience with the BBB and have my information in writing from BBB.

WHY are all these people taking this crap? If you feel like you're beng ripped off, CALL THE POLICE YOURSELF, ON YOURSELF! You can bet your last penny, that a scammer will NOT hang out and wait on the police to get there when you feel you're being "robbed". Come on people, take a stand for yourselves and stop letting these people get away with this mess.

I noticed that this industry was "infiltrated" with scammers when I did a google search for locksmiths in my area. I got about 6 hits for locksmiths on the main street of my town... long story short - there are no locksmiths in my town (something I already knew). This article sums it up - find out the legitimate places before you need them!

There are several things you can do to protect yourself from getting scammed. One is to check credentials. Most states will require a license. Check your state's official website and research the locksmiths license status. Another resources is the Better Business Bureau (BBB). They are consumer watchdogs. Another sources for you to check is ALOA (Associated Locksmiths of America. This is a member group of locksmiths. Finally, ask your family, friends or colleagues for referrals.

Ken,
Beginning in the fall of 2009, Angie's List began asking all companies on our list, and requiring all advertisers, to attest to their compliance with state and local licensing laws governing their trade(s). In addition, we’ve required our magazine advertisers to provide their license number(s) to display in their advertisement where it is required by law.
If a contractor is not properly licensed, it impacts their presentation on Angie's List, regardless of their relationship with us (rating, advertising status, award winner, etc.).
We are auditing (and will continue to audit) a random selection of companies to ensure that the self-reported information we’re collecting is accurate.
Even in the articles that appear on magazine.angieslist.com and in our print magazine, our reporters verify that the contractors we interview are, in fact, appropriately licensed for their trade, as well.
Thanks for your comment!

Here's a tip: If it's not an emergency or lockout, such as when you change the locks on a new house, have someone stay in the house while you take off all the locks and go into Home Depot to have them rekeyed for $5 each. Depending how many doors/locks you have, this could be done in a couple hours. Call ahead to make sure the person that can do the rekeying is available that day, and go during a less busy time. You can do 8 locks for about $45. Be sure to take in the original key since that may be needed depending on the brand of lock that you have.

As a Real Locksmith, I am all for DIY projects around the house, however, changing or rekeying of locks is really a job for
a locksmith or locksmith shop. Many times I have been called out to fix a DIY job done by the home owner or a friend.
Most of the time it's a lost part not installed or mixing up parts during re install, so the money saved is no longer an issue, as
it now may cost more than it would have in the first place.
Research a Real local locksmith in your area before you need them, put the number in your phone, and just remember to call us first, you will save your self a lot of agrevation and cash.
Like others, I have been called out to repair scammer jobs, even if the home owner is just concerned about the keys being in the wrong hands.
In addition to security, a Real locksmith also gives you Peace of Mind, that to is a part of our job.

In Texas at least Home depot, etc.., can't rekey a lock. That job is for locksmiths with a license. As they do not employ locksmiths, they do not suppose to do this job. Now for the locks they sell, they can rekey them prior to purchase to match. This may not be the case in all states, but here that is the distinction. You can however take your locks to a local locksmith shop and the cost is much cheaper. The service trip is generally the most expesive part of the service call. Just food for thought.

At what point did Angie's List start caring if a contractor is licensed or not? I'm a incensed landscape contractor here in Las Vegas and Angie's List allows unlicensed contractors to advertise in their Magazine as well as online. It's very hypocritical of Angie's List to point the finger at other types of advertising when they are no better.

If the locksmith that you called changes prices BEWARE ASK WHY. If you don't agree with the price change don't use them. Beware if they ask for cash or check made out to the person and not a company. if you are scammed then file a complaint with the attorney Generals office, consumer affairs.

It would seem reasonable to require a written estimate beforehand, with a statement that no changes will be performed or billed for without agreement from the customer. Do service companies object to this?

Yes, locksmiths and locksmith companies are both licensed in California. Locksmiths and companies are licensed separately.
Here is a link to the official "look-up" page: http://www2.dca.ca.gov/pls/wllpub/wllqryna$lcev2.startup?p_qte_code=LC&p_qte_pgm_code=2420
Please note that some Locksmiths and locksmith companies have attained licenses and still operate illegally. They use fake addresses and multiple unregistered names in an attempt to look local. Also, having a license does not prevent shoddy work practices. Thanks for asking.

Locksmiths in california are "licensed".
If a locksmith is an employee of a company, the state has what the
call a locksmith "registration". If a locksmith owns the company,
then he has an actual locksmith "license" from the state. NOT to be
confused with a business license or contractors license. hope that
clarifies it for you.

Another thing to watch out for is locksmiths replacing your locks with cheap locks. The locksmith I hired from Angie's List was excellent and charged me a reasonable rate BUT I had to get my front door lock replaced in 6 months because it broke (internal components). That meant hiring someone else to fix what should have been done right the first time.

lynn chambers, CRL
Lynn, I have gone to an auto lock out where there was no damage visible, but when I opened the car there was some huge rips in the weatherstip (that I did not do). I asked the mother how it happened, and she thought I did it to her daughters car. She was so angry she did not want to pay me. She called her daughter at work to tell her what a horrible locksmith I was, but her daughter was honest enough to tell her she did the damage using a coat hanger, trying to open it herself..

lynn chambers, CRL
--
Lynn, I have gone to an auto lock out where there was no damage visible, but when I opened the car there was some huge rips in the weatherstip (that I did not do). I asked the mother how it happened, and she thought I did it to her daughters car. She was so angry she did not want to pay me. She called her daughter at work to tell her what a horrible locksmith I was, but her daughter was honest enough to tell her she did the damage using a coat hanger, trying to open it herself..

My former post-lynn chambers, CRL
"I know one thing-LOUISIANA requires ALL of us to be Licensed-INCLUDING YOU POP-A-LOCK. Stop sending our car openers to do a locksmiths job and having the customer sign a damage waver to cover your screw-ups. Get a license or don't come out! "
5/15/2010 11:03:06 PM
I need to make something clear since Pop-A-Lock has contacted me asking me to retract my statement-ANY Unlicensed company pretending to be a locksmith will be reported to Louisiana State Fire Marshalls Office.
I have verified that they do in fact have a least two licensed persons as locksmiths. My official Appology for stating that your company is not licensed.

I don't think that "being aware" is the only solution to the scamming problems we're having. Scammers feel pretty confident they can get away with this behavior because law enforcement is so lax. This is all the way from the police to the states attorneys generals who have fallen prey to the Contract on America and other criminal enterprises in the hallowed halls of justice. The public needs to step up to the plate and lobby their government officials to stop looking the other way and become proactive if they want to stay in office. Maybe Angie's List could have a 30 day Hot List of companies who have recently been accused of scamming; a sort of heads up. Any company receiving a lot of complaints in one area needs to be turned in and then the scammed need to follow up to ensure that these companies are taken off the playing field. If we don't insist something constructive be done, then the police and government are going to give it a pass and the problems will just continue. It's time in this country to demand the end of all of the scamming. No such thing was allowed to go on in our parents and grandparents day. What's wrong with us?

There should be strict laws these guys with no license give us a bad name with shady work and some over price and some underprice the jobs if u don't have a license you should not be able to work in this field it makes it hard for us honest locksmiths to make a honest living

I don't mean to burst your bubble but some of these guys are with ALOA. They even get licenses in California because there is no exam required to get a license. I have a contractors license which requires submitting proof of journeyman level work in the trade and taking a 5 hour trade and law test. ALOA offers a PRP exam but you have to be a member and unless you live in Texas the opportunities to take the test are only a couple of times a year. I'm not a member of ALOA it doesn't mean I'm not a legitimate locksmith.

Not all locksmiths are scammers, it is important to check if they are certified and ask for a written quote before they start working, thats the only way to be sure you are not going to be scammmed.
Mark

My wife locked the keys in car at the mall one day while shopping with the kids, and she was asked by the mall security guard if she had AAA. She said yes and he said I'll call them for you. A half hour later a big guy shows up and unlocks the car and then says he wants $65 cash. She just gave him the card and he said he was not with AAA. He was A,A&A or something just like AAA. She didnt have the cash so he made her lock the keys back in the car!! I wish I had been there! This kind of thing needs to stop.

Sometimes people decide to put any number of A's in front of their name when they register their business, this stems wayyy back to when there was no internet and everyone had their business listed alphabeticaly in this old obsolete thing called a phone book. What it sounds like is the lot jockey called the first locksmith in the phone book, mistook his business name as somehow being an "aaa" contracted station when in fact he was just a private business. When I am working for my (AAA contracted) station the customer may call aaa, get approved for service then the local AAA call center will dispatch the nearest contracted station to you... I will simplify that, a AAA membership card is NOT a credit card and if you'll read your paperwork you get with It you get amazing roadside assistance. However If you call a private shop and have a locksmith dispatched out to you to render private service, and no word is said about your roadside assist club, then clearly you haven't followed instructions, and you may have gotten one of many shops not even associated with AAA. Still in that event I believe AAA will reimburse members when they cannot be contacted. As far as locking the keys back in the car and leaving... what else would you have us do? That is pretty much standard operating procedure for locksmiths as long as I've been doing this, in 11 years I've written up maybe 5-6 receipts to people who will call us up and when we complete the job they'll say they dont have any money. Only one have I ever had actually pay and that was months on down the road. I liken it to ordering a pizza. You call your pizza place, have them cook up a feast for you, but when the pizza guy shows up you pull out your pockets and say something to the effect of "well im sorry but I'm all out of money, but if you leave the pizza with me Im sure your boss will be ok with me coming buy with money at some future point..." as far as 65 $ being concerned that is quite a reasonable rate depending on the size of your metro area. We charge 48-58 here but not 20 miles away other shops are charging 85-95 $ due to cost of doing business in a much larger area with now much tighter regulations and more overhead imposed upon them by the county.

I know one thing-LOUISIANA requires ALL of us to be Licensed-INCLUDING YOU POP-A-LOCK. Stop sending our car openers to do a locksmiths job and having the customer sign a damage waver to cover your screw-ups. Get a license or don't come out!

Larry, in response to your comment:
I am a Locksmith in Phoenix, Az. I hate checks. If I get a Chase check, sure write it to my business name. My bank won't charge me if it bounces. If I get a check from any other bank, they won't cash it if it's made out to my business name, because I have to have a Business Account with them. Sorry, but I am not going to eat a $35 bounced check fee because someone didn't have the money in their account. It works both ways with this issue.

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